| - Fingers together - Roll shoulder into ear - Arm comes over straight (loose wrist) - Arm comes over close to ear - Little finger enters water first - Turn palm outward |
| Backstroke Techniques & Tips |
| ABOUT THE STROKE |
| ARM PULL |
| ARM RECOVERY |
| KICK |
| BODY POSITION |
| BREATHING |
| START |
| FLIP TURN |
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| Backstroke is a disadvantage stroke because the swimmer is not facing forward. The stroke is actually swum on the side, rather than lying flat on the back, as the swimmer rolls from side to side. An important factor to remember while swimming backstroke is to keep the head stationary and keep the hips up toward the surface of the water. |
| - Lower arm bends to 90 degrees under the shoulder - Knife arm deep down - Rotate body onto that side - Hand sweeps up and over in an "S" shape - Snap wrist at thigh - Thumb comes out first |
| Defects: Hand Entry = too wide, too far behind head, entering flat Catch = shallow Pull = straight arm, bending elbow late Elbow/Wrist = dropped elbow, dropped wrist Recovery = too wide, bent elbow Follow Through = incomplete elbow extension, early elbow |
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| Drills: ~ Use a pull buoy ~ Partner holds ankles ~ Flick ~ Catch-Up ~ Count Strokes ~ Fists ~ Kick on side with arm in air ~ Double recovery ~ Left arm, Right arm ~ Eye Level Change |
| - Deeper than Freestyle - Fast & powerful - Whole leg kick (begin at hips) - Knees go up & down very little - Knees do not break surface - Toes pointed - Toes just break surface |
| Defects: Kick = too deep, too shallow, knees breaking the surface |
| Drills: ~ Use fins ~ Streamline ~ Hands at side ~ Kick on side ~ Hands behind back ~ Hands on top of head ~ Elbows in by side, hands up |
| Head Position |
| - Hips kept high in the water - Swum on side (roll) |
| - Tilted up slightly - Ears in water - Do not move head - Head & eye movement is still (moving affects arms & legs) |
| Drills: ~ Roll side to side ~ Head up swim ~ Float ~ Scull ~ Place stone on head |
| Defects: Body = poor rotation on long axis or at shoulders, dropped hips Head = excessive movement, head too high, head too far back Timing = allowing hand to pause at surface on entry, pausing at the end of follow-through |
| - Inhale on one arm stroke - Exhale on the next arm stroke - Rhythmic breathing |
| Drill: ~ Focus and practice slowly |
| - Some part of body touching water - Toes below surface - Hands grasp bar - Pull self into a crouched position - Extend backward in back jump - Push with hands and feet - Arms reach for water (swing out & around) - Hips lift up to bar on start - Dolphin kick up with streamline |
| FINISH |
| - Roll as far to one side - Dive for wall |
| Drills: ~ Back somersaults off gutter ~ Streamline off start without kicking for farthest distance |
| Defects: Start = slow, poor push off Finish = incomplete, not hard enough |
| - Count strokes - Take one stroke on front - Turn like in freestyle - Push off on back |
| Drills: ~ Count strokes ~ Practice repeatedly |
| Defects: Turn = too close to wall, too far from wall |
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| BACKSTROKE |
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| Y Karen A. Everson |